Abstract: An entertainment device comprises a detector operable to detect whether a representation of a game feature of one or more games associated with the entertainment device should be obtained from the one or more games in response to a predetermined game event of the one or more games, a processor operable to obtain the representation of the game feature from the one or more games, a storage arrangement operable to store the representation of the game feature obtained from the one or more games, and a renderer operable to render the obtained representation of the game feature stored in the storage arrangement as a game feature within a virtual environment associated with the entertainment device, the rendered game feature within the virtual environment being a trophy object.

Abstract: A data transfer system comprises a server and a plurality of devices each operable as a client of the server. The server in turn comprises a notification arrangement to notify a device that it is to become a member of a peer group comprising other clients of the server. The server further comprises a client/server data transmitter to send data to the respective device upon such notification. Each device in turn comprises a client/server data receiver to receive respective data from the server, and a peer-to-peer communicator to send respective data received from the server to one or more peers, and to receive from one or more peers respective data that was sent to it or them by the server.

Abstract: An entertainment device operable to connect to a first on-line virtual environment comprises a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line virtual environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices, a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment according to one or more criteria while the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation while the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, and a storage arrangement operable to cause the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention provides a method of transferring real-time multimedia data in a virtual environment between a plurality of entertainment devices each having a peer-to-peer communication device operable to transmit data to and receive data from other entertainment devices. Each entertainment device has an associated avatar within the virtual environment, and each entertainment device has a corresponding client index. The method includes generating, at a first one of the entertainment devices, a target list of client indices associated with entertainment devices to which the real-time multimedia data should be forwarded and dividing, at the first one of the entertainment devices, the target list into a first subset of entertainment devices and a second subset of entertainment devices.

Abstract: An entertainment device operable to connect to a first on-line virtual environment comprises a group membership selector operable to select members of a group of entertainment devices connected to a first on-line virtual environment comprising a plurality of connected entertainment devices, a server evaluator operable to evaluate a plurality of servers of a second on-line virtual environment according to one or more criteria whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, a server selector operable to select at least a first server of the second on-line virtual environment based upon the evaluation whilst the entertainment device is connected to the first on-line virtual environment, and a storage arrangement operable to cause the storage of server selection data defining the selected server.

Abstract: An entertainment device comprises a detector operable to detect whether a representation of a game feature of one or more games associated with the entertainment device should be obtained from the one or more games in response to a predetermined game event of the one or more games, a processor operable to obtain the representation of the game feature from the one or more games, a storage arrangement operable to store the representation of the game feature obtained from the one or more games, and a renderer operable to render the obtained representation of the game feature stored in the storage arrangement as a game feature within a virtual environment associated with the entertainment device, the rendered game feature within the virtual environment being a trophy object.

Abstract: A data transfer system comprises a server and a plurality of devices each operable as a client of the server. The server in turn comprises a notification arrangement to notify a device that it is to become a member of a peer group comprising other clients of the server. The server further comprises a client/server data transmitter to send data to the respective device upon such notification. Each device in turn comprises a client/server data receiver to receive respective data from the server, and a peer-to-peer communicator to send respective data received from the server to one or more peers, and to receive from one or more peers respective data that was sent to it or them by the server.